maanantai 25. toukokuuta 2009

Day 16 May 25

Day 16 May 25

With the weather briefly making a return to more traditional Finnish weather, cool and cloudy, the battered but zealous 2009 contingent of students embarked on the final week of the NOCUSO archaeological field-school. The ongoing surface survey and artifact recovery operation at Hiidenkangas was carried out by Sarah, Lisa, Brendan and fearless leaders; Colin and Sam. Despite the abrupt disappearance of the Chief (Andre), presumably involving a cloud of mysterious purple smoke and a maniacal laugh, Colin managed to keep the three scrounging about for all things white and shiny. The tiny fragments of quartz, flaked debitage from the production or modification of stone tools, were flagged and their distribution recorded with the aid of the GPS. Prior to lunch, the morning's scavenging switched to the ongoing surface exposure of the lower dwelling depression, which quickly came to completion beneath the crack of Colin's whip. In the absence of a stable supply of cookies, mutiny among the team was avoided only with the promise of new discoveries as the ranks marched back up the slope to further expose the upper site. The ensuing sod removal brought the crew ever nearer to the brink of upheaval, but were quelled by Colin's menacing glare. Nevertheless, the grumbling and complaining soon gave way with the appearance of a defined hearth from which two charcoal samples were extracted.

Scurrying about the Finnish forest floor on survey were Beth, Keegan, and Loretta, lead by their nimble leaders; Dustin and Greg. During the band's merry wanderings graced by the presence of a cuckoo bird, several carins were dicovered along the raised platform of the 60m contour.

Dug in amid the trenches of the Thing, the remainder of the team shared a number of tasks including soil sampling, stratigraphy drawing and geological excavations. In an effort to reconstruct the stratigraphy of the Thing, Katie was guided in the ways of soil sampling within the 3m x 3m grid by master Eva. Further sampling and analysis of the obtained samples from around the Thing will eventually determine the extent of it's coverage and determine if the structure was cut into the natural topography or artificially raised. Additionally, a short distance away, a soil sample taken from an historical depression revealed midden deposits containing charcoal and fibers. Neato! Meanwhile, Elizabeth donned her artist's barret and drew the stratigraphy of T209 before assisting Jenn and Hunter on T409. Proving to be an expert in all fields, Elizabeth was subsequently drafted by the soil sampling crew and proceeded to discover a double-floor.